The Evolution of the Dental Manager
How often do you find yourself meeting someone for the first time or answering the question: “What do you do for a living”?
Your answer, I am a dental practice/office manager, and they respond with “that’s nice” or “that sounds fun” or worse, they just continue along with the conversation and never think twice about what your job entails.
I find myself in this situation often and I think to myself they have no idea of all the responsibilities of an office manager, especially one in a larger practice. They have no idea of how far this role has come or the responsibilities it carries. Some things have not changed, the manager will always help patients schedule and confirm appointments, send claims to insurance companies and be responsible for overseeing that payments are collected and posted properly.
But these days, so much more falls on the dental office manager, how do we find the time to keep up? Have you ever really thought about how much has changed and what is constantly evolving?
Advancing Patient Communication Through Technology
One thing that has improved is our patient communication platforms; many of us have started relying on these to help us confirm appointments via text or email, saving valuable time on the phone. These platforms have become essential to helping patients remember their appointments and they play a role in keeping our schedules full by allowing patients to confirm so easily. No more playing phone tag, leaving multiple messages asking for confirmation or missing calls.
Another valuable feature is real time texting to communicate with patients, again freeing up our phone lines and making things more convenient for our patients. Many of these platforms also offer paperless options for health history and essential chart paperwork. Gone are the days of a file room filled with charts from floor to ceiling in alphabetical order.
Having to rely on a staff member to pull the charts and prepare each provider for their day. I am sure many of you can relate with me the daunting task of going paperless and scanning every chart into your practice software management system. Many offices rely on iPads or tablets in the waiting room and operatories and everyone is expected to be computer literate. The knowledge and troubleshooting of these tools often fall on the practice manager.
Managing Marketing and Team Growth
Another area now vital to your dental practice is marketing. Years ago, practices didn’t have to market or advertise for more patients, we simply relied on word-of-mouth referrals from existing patients. Now you must manage multiple social media platforms to stay relevant and visible within your community, often this is another task that is on the practice manager. Social media platforms are great but include the responsibilities of managing daily posts and creating marketing campaigns.
An additional challenge these days is staffing, with unemployment and staff turnover at an all-time high, the office manager must be skilled in attracting new employees and confident in their hiring skills. Not only does the practice manager have to find and retain the best staff members, but managers must also keep up with all the human resources needs of the practice.
Managers must stay up to date on all aspects of state and federal labor laws and keeping the office in compliance. Along with all the hiring needs, managers are required to be sure all employees have the most up to date training.
They are responsible for ensuring their employees’ certifications and licensures are current. This is often part of a performance management process, where managers track employee progress and development. Certifications and licenses are often legally required for certain positions. With the requirements constantly changing you need to stay well ahead of the training needed and have the connections to find the training and resources for your office.
Navigating the Complexities of Dental Insurance
Finally, the ever-evolving dental insurance game. Gone are the days of quickly calling an insurance company and being connected to a human who is super nice and extremely helpful and knowledgeable about answering any question you may have. With multiple plans all having multiple options for coverage the best way to acquire this information is through the insurance company website.
This adds another area where managers and staff need to be computer literate and comfortable trouble-shooting any IT or Wi-Fi issues. Many companies have excellent websites that allow offices to find real time verification and benefits, learning the most efficient way to navigate each site can alleviate the headaches of waiting on hold to be connected to a representative.
As dentistry continues to change, we need managers who can successfully manage the office and all its needs. Dental practice managers play an integral role in running a productive dental practice. Managers are responsible for running a successful business while providing support to team members and managing the connection between the dentist and their patients.
It is important for the managers to feel valued and have the support and training they need to continue to lead.
Supporting Growth and Celebrating the Modern Dental Manager
There are multiple ways a manager can find support or training. AADOM is an excellent resource as well as your local and state dental associations. The dental practice manager’s role has significantly evolved from primarily administrative tasks to encompassing strategic leadership and business management. This evolution is driven by factors like the increasing emphasis on patient-centered care, technological advancements, and the changing needs of dental practices.
Dental office managers should be proud of the advancements we have made and look forward to the continued progression in our careers, we are not “just a manager” we are so much more!
About the Author
Coreen Thompson, MAADOM
Coreen has been in dentistry for over 30 years, starting as a chairside dental assistant and working her way up to dental practice manager, with 27 of those years at the same dental practice. Thompson is highly active with her local and state dental associations, serving as a consultant on the professional development advisory committee for the Connecticut State Dental Association.
Coreen has been an AADOM member since 2020, received her AADOM Fellowship in 2024, and her MAADOM in 2025.
She enjoys giving back to her community by volunteering annually with CT Mission of Mercy, helping to provide free dental care to those in need.
